Looking at gifts still in Christmas wrapping under a sparkling tree, Debra Saveena and her children could not believe that so many people cared about them.

"They were very excited. It was shocking, and they’re very grateful. My oldest daughter said, ‘Oh, my God! God bless their hearts!’" said Saveena, a single mother of four, one of them a 9-year-old daughter with a disability.

A few days ago, Saveena picked up the gifts from Helping Hands Hawaii after being adopted through the agency’s Adopt-A-Family holiday program. The family had spent several months in a homeless shelter, but as a full-time forklift operator at a recycling company, she was able to move her family into a home in Waipahu.

Her family was featured in a Star-Advertiser story Nov. 20, kicking off the newspaper’s Good Neighbor Fund drive on behalf of the Helping Hands program. Saveena told the newspaper she wished she could give her kids "their very own Christmas tree, even if it does not have any gifts under it," but that "the best gift is us being together as a family."

One donor granted her wish after Thanksgiving and delivered a tree adorned with lights, boxes of decorations and toys for the kids. Another couple, who want to remain anonymous, said they realized how blessed they were after reading about the hardships faced by the family, and the husband said they were particularly impressed with "the way the mother expressed how thankful she was despite her circumstances. She had this incredible love and hope. It was so touching to both our lives.

"We went shopping and we couldn’t stop. We got each of them clothes, and for the little boy we got two trucks," he said, and they also gave them a food certificate at a grocery store close to their home. "We were talking as we were wrapping, that we want to be there for them in the future."

His wife said they have no children, but as teachers have always loved kids.

She said, "We want to give all (Saveena’s) children a big hug and want to be there supporting them emotionally. They need to know there are people out there who really care."

Saveena said, "This is the kind of stuff that happens on TV. I never once thought I’d be picked. I want to thank all the donors, but first and foremost, thank God, and all these beautiful people for even caring. I never saw so much aloha till now, that people would extend their hand out to me. There are not enough words to express my thanks. … It’s a very touching moment for me. My kids — they’re speechless."

Since the story ran, customers and a neighbor have overwhelmed her with donations, gifts for the kids and food for a holiday meal, Saveena said. And she could never have done it without the support of co-workers, the Onemalu Transitional Shelter and family members, she added.

Scott Morishige, head of the Adopt-A-Family program, said Helping Hands was able to respond to the requests of all 317 families with a donor, and distributed gifts to all families by 6 p.m. Friday.

"I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to fill the requests" at first, Morishige said, but he was glad the agency could step up to the challenge.

"We wanted to make sure every family gets something on Christmas. The staff has been working long hours and weekends, but it’s all worth it, knowing we’re really making a difference, especially for the children. A kid may not be in so good a situation, but one day out of the year, that’s special. It’s a good feeling," Morishige said.

Morishige said the holidays are his favorite time of the year because he gets to play Santa — he and some staff also adopt families personally — and watch others enjoy doing the same.

"Every day donors come in with gifts for a family," he said. "I see families come in to pick up the items and see their faces. They’re not used to people doing this. They’re very grateful no matter what it is — for someone who doesn’t even know them to do this. They can see the care and time people put into the gift wrapping, and sometimes the donor writes a note to the families on Christmas cards."

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